Makes the switch to free-to-play and loses it's soul. The gameplay is still largely the same. You still place out different types of plants in order to fend off waves of zombies in a unique take on the tower defense genre. However it doesn't take long to realize that the game is constantly making grabs at your wallet.

The difficulty here is much harder than the original, and not in aMakes the switch to free-to-play and loses it's soul. The gameplay is still largely the same. You still place out different types of plants in order to fend off waves of zombies in a unique take on the tower defense genre. However it doesn't take long to realize that the game is constantly making grabs at your wallet.

The difficulty here is much harder than the original, and not in a good way. It's clearly just an attempt to get you to spend money on power-ups or some of the better plants available. They even made the sunflowers practically useless. It takes them forever to pump out sunlight, so really I just relied on harvesting it without them. Really shameful stuff.

The free-to-play model really does ruin it. Not to mention it's not that different of a game than the original. You're better off replaying that one for what is probably the umpteenth time. It really is a shame to see the series turned into this. Rather than providing an entertaining experience, it's more interested in nickel and dimming you to death. Just skip it.…Expand

Plants vs Zombeis 2 is a good game, but is very inferior to the first one. The idea of time travel is great and leads us to excelent levels and zombies. However, there isn't much innovations in gameplay and most of the plants and some zombies come from the previous game. The plant food mechanic is good and the power ups as well, but these are obviously made to be sold by microtransations.Plants vs Zombeis 2 is a good game, but is very inferior to the first one. The idea of time travel is great and leads us to excelent levels and zombies. However, there isn't much innovations in gameplay and most of the plants and some zombies come from the previous game. The plant food mechanic is good and the power ups as well, but these are obviously made to be sold by microtransations.
But, the worst thing in this game are the MICROTRANSATIONS. They took off plants like Jalapeño and Hypnoshroom that WERE IN THE PREVIOUS GAME and are selling them a part, And many features like the water, fog, roof and night levels weren't used (but they were recently released as a free update, at least).
So, it's a interesting app and it's free, so, if you liked the previous game - which is excellent -, the gameplays you saw and don't care about the negative points raised here, go there and download it. It worth a try.…Expand

OK, I downloaded this game expecting it to be so much better than PvZ 1. Immediately after level 1 I notice that you have to pay for plant upgrades. I figure "OK, you can get these with in-game cash right?" I was dead wrong. This is a bigger ripoff than all facebook games and pay to play mmorpgs combined. Blind fans with money will pump up EA's Greedy ego and not realize how much more theyOK, I downloaded this game expecting it to be so much better than PvZ 1. Immediately after level 1 I notice that you have to pay for plant upgrades. I figure "OK, you can get these with in-game cash right?" I was dead wrong. This is a bigger ripoff than all facebook games and pay to play mmorpgs combined. Blind fans with money will pump up EA's Greedy ego and not realize how much more they are paying than if it was a one time payment. even if it was $50, it would at least be satisfying to know I own the game, and do not need to spend any extra. I had not played the game that long because i was so disgusted by it, but As an avid lover of both PvZ and Insaniquarium by PopCap i guess they turned a blind eye to their fans and gave EA the PvZ2 title. So if you play pvZ2 be prepared to pay with either money, or time.…Expand

The first Plants VS Zombies game was simply put a masterpiece. Quirky music, great gameplay, nice graphics, it was great. Then PopCap came out with PvZ 2 which took everything that made the first game great, and chucked it out a window.

There are much fewer plants, many of which cost $3 to buy, and some plants got a huge downgrade. Take the puff-shroom. It remains free, remains with aThe first Plants VS Zombies game was simply put a masterpiece. Quirky music, great gameplay, nice graphics, it was great. Then PopCap came out with PvZ 2 which took everything that made the first game great, and chucked it out a window.

There are much fewer plants, many of which cost $3 to buy, and some plants got a huge downgrade. Take the puff-shroom. It remains free, remains with a range of three tiles, but it now lasts for a limited time! And about the plants that cost money? Look at the pea-nut. They took a wall-nut, took a peashooter, and said, "Give us three bucks". This is just ridiculous. Also, some of the plants in the first game (Jalapeno, Snow Pea, Squash e.t.c) now cost money!

Also, the Zen Garden. Hoo boy, the Zen Garden. This is much worse than the original one. Plants disappear when grown to full size, and overall it's just not as appealing. Some may argue that it's more useful instead of just making coins, but that's why I liked the first one. It was just a little side thing, not something you have to do to win.

Most levels are a breeze, but some levels spike up the difficulty from almost nothing to near impossible. Take the Gargantuar level in the Dark Ages. I myself had to try that level at least five times, while all the other levels I just breezed through.

Now, it isn't a horrible game, it's okay: some original plants, funny puns (E.M.Peach, anyone? No?) and some cool levels. But overall it just isn't as charming.

I've played this game for a while, and so far it's decent. But overall, if you want to get into the games, just cough up the $3 for the iOS version of PvZ 1. It's really much better. If there were no microtransactions, I'd rate this game about a 7 or 8. But EA rubbed their greedy hands and now it only gets 4. God damnit, EA.

If PopCap ever escapes the grasp of the dreaded EA zombie, I hope they make a PvZ 3 that is as good or better than the first one.…Expand

I played the first three worlds and I loved it, so much. Addictive, at that time. But, at the moment, as new worlds come out, I am starting to lose interest in the game, maybe because there are not really something changed and I have to wait a lot to play a new world...

And, once again, someone jumps on the freemium bandwagon. Apparently, the developers seem to think that people like to pay to play less, which seems to be working out for them. All the same; I do not agree, and find it an insult to my intelligence to provide a 'cheat' option.

This game is good but not excellent and it's rather sad. The point is that the first game offered you good and multifarious campaign as well as different additional puzzles that were really fun.

PvZ 2 seems to be big and interesting game but after playing Egypt level and switching to another world you find the game quite repetitive. Tasks (quests) are similar to each other and alsoThis game is good but not excellent and it's rather sad. The point is that the first game offered you good and multifarious campaign as well as different additional puzzles that were really fun.

PvZ 2 seems to be big and interesting game but after playing Egypt level and switching to another world you find the game quite repetitive. Tasks (quests) are similar to each other and also there are so many additional puzzles that after some time you can come to conclusion that first game was better. It doesn't mean that PvZ 2 is bad but you can easily be bored with it after finishing the first half of the second world.…Expand

- New plants introduced in this game are solid and offer new things.
- Some of the new maps and puzzle levels are fun.
The bad:
- Lacks content (only has campaign mode which is still fairly short).
- Pay to win model, riddled with desperate attempts to get you to buy things.
- Levels get very repetitive once you're about half way through each zone.
- It's made by EA,The good:

- New plants introduced in this game are solid and offer new things.
- Some of the new maps and puzzle levels are fun.

The bad:

- Lacks content (only has campaign mode which is still fairly short).
- Pay to win model, riddled with desperate attempts to get you to buy things.
- Levels get very repetitive once you're about half way through each zone.
- It's made by EA, awarded worst company 2 years running, and for good reason.

Overall, meh. If you liked the first PvZ or tower defence games, get this, but don't be tempted into buying the in app offers.…Expand

This game was unplayable. Don't tell me it is free then lock up characters. Don't tell me I can finish the game using the characters that are available. I like to play and test different strategies. Well EA you have ruined Tiger Woods, SimCity, and now Plants vs Zombies.

I simply cannot understand the critics and some of the peoples' rating in this game. You see, PvZ has become what is most dreaded nowadays in the APP Store. Another pay to win, completely senseless and not at all like its predecessor. Basically, if you want to win some level you WILL have to use gold, or buy some of the upgrades. Yes, you heard that right, BUY!
Contrary to PvZ 1 where youI simply cannot understand the critics and some of the peoples' rating in this game. You see, PvZ has become what is most dreaded nowadays in the APP Store. Another pay to win, completely senseless and not at all like its predecessor. Basically, if you want to win some level you WILL have to use gold, or buy some of the upgrades. Yes, you heard that right, BUY!
Contrary to PvZ 1 where you could buy the whole game and that was it, in PvZ 2 you get the game free buuuut you have to buy upgrades or gold in order to get the full experience. Not only this, but in every game update the rules are slightly or largely changed making you either spend more or recreate your tactics which will hardly work at some point.
Lastly, the mini-games are extremely boring and repetitive.

Welcome to another buy to win app. Apparently this is a thing now.…Expand

The first plants versus zombies game was amazing, offering a new crisp gameplay to the tower defense genre. However, this one made one fatal flaw: In app purchases. When I saw this game was free, I was a little scared. I thought the maybe it was like flow free, in which you could buy new maps or something. But the IAPs were for you to buy original plants. They were around $3. For eachThe first plants versus zombies game was amazing, offering a new crisp gameplay to the tower defense genre. However, this one made one fatal flaw: In app purchases. When I saw this game was free, I was a little scared. I thought the maybe it was like flow free, in which you could buy new maps or something. But the IAPs were for you to buy original plants. They were around $3. For each plant. This quickly ruined the game for me.…Expand

After finally getting a smartphone, this was the first game I downloaded. Loved the first and couldn't wait to finally play the sequel. And despite it being free, I still feel like I got ripped off. Despite buying the original game three times (twice for PC, once for the DS) it always seemed worth it. Every level had that perfect mix of casual fun with a little bit of challenge to keep youAfter finally getting a smartphone, this was the first game I downloaded. Loved the first and couldn't wait to finally play the sequel. And despite it being free, I still feel like I got ripped off. Despite buying the original game three times (twice for PC, once for the DS) it always seemed worth it. Every level had that perfect mix of casual fun with a little bit of challenge to keep you on your toes. PvZ2, on the other hand, has a punishing level of difficulty. You don't even have time to get your economy going before you're being swarmed. That is unless you're willing to shell out cash to cheat your way through it, which just seems cheap. It lacks the charm of the first with its minigames, your zen garden, and of course, the ability to pay up front for a complete game.…Expand

As a game on its own terms, it's fine. It's an enjoyable experience and giving it anything lower than an average score would be disingenuous. But as a successor to PvZ, this game is a complete and total failure. Sequels should offer more than their predecessors, but PvZ2 offers far less than the original PvZ did. The Adventure mode only features three types of terrain and isn't evenAs a game on its own terms, it's fine. It's an enjoyable experience and giving it anything lower than an average score would be disingenuous. But as a successor to PvZ, this game is a complete and total failure. Sequels should offer more than their predecessors, but PvZ2 offers far less than the original PvZ did. The Adventure mode only features three types of terrain and isn't even complete yet, there are no achievements, there are no mini-games, there's no "I, Zombie" puzzle game, there are probably less than half as many plants as there were in the first game, and many of the familiar and helpful plants are now eternally trapped behind a paywall. I'm not against free-to-play as a concept, but it has to be implemented correctly. The items you can purchase should always be unlockable within the game, even if doing so is incredibly difficult or tedious. If in-game coins could be used to purchase the plants that are trapped behind the paywall, I'd be far less upset about this, but that is not the case. Yes, I don't need those plants to beat the game, but it's still a part of the game I can't access for arbitrary reasons. I'd much rather have just paid $10 for the game rather than have to pay over $20 to access all of the plants in the game. So now that we know what the game is missing, what did it add to the mix? Well, some of the new plants are rather cool and the plant food boosters are pretty sweet. I was rather fond of the pirate world, though the other two worlds weren't quite as fun. Some of the new zombies proved to be rather challenging and forced me to rethink a lot of my strategies. Survival mode is still around, though you have to recreate your entire defense every round, which is less fun in my opinion, though it is a bit more challenging, I suppose. And... that's about it. It's not a terrible game, but it's so shallow and dull when compared to the original that it hardly deserves to be considered a sequel.…Expand

This game is way worse then the first and it has many flaws that kill it. Updates come out extremely slowly, and after EA bought popcap it turned into a very greedy company.The levels are incredible easy and most of the constantly bombards you with ads trying to get you to spend money. Most plants costing over $6 to buy. What the hell? There is only 27 plants which is 23 less plants thenThis game is way worse then the first and it has many flaws that kill it. Updates come out extremely slowly, and after EA bought popcap it turned into a very greedy company.The levels are incredible easy and most of the constantly bombards you with ads trying to get you to spend money. Most plants costing over $6 to buy. What the hell? There is only 27 plants which is 23 less plants then the first game, and pvz2 is downright boring. Same thing every level.Just do your self a favor and don't download it.…Expand

Plants vs Zombies was a very original and amazing game. So much depth for how simple it was. Now comes Plants vs Zombies 2: It's About Time. I cannot say the same for this unfortunate sequel.

The depth has almost completely disappeared and now it's left with only being simple. It really is lacking all the extras one came to love in the original game.
Recently there was an updatePlants vs Zombies was a very original and amazing game. So much depth for how simple it was. Now comes Plants vs Zombies 2: It's About Time. I cannot say the same for this unfortunate sequel.

The depth has almost completely disappeared and now it's left with only being simple. It really is lacking all the extras one came to love in the original game.

Recently there was an update released. This update seems to serve only to make the game even more simple and unappealing.

Now as a stand alone game without comparing it to Plants vs Zombies it's an alright game worth a play through though it does not merit much praise or replay.

Finally, the pay to win model is a big turn off. To see plants that I cannot obtain without real money does not sit well. Yes it's free game and they need to make their money somehow but this is not the way. Charging $2.99 per plant doesn't feel right. I personally will not be making any plant purchases. I cannot honestly say that the game is good enough for me to pay anything I don't have to.

Would I have bought this game for $9.99? Yes I would have and I don't think I would have fully regretted it. I only hope that this game can be saved and that if a Plants vs Zombies 3 ever comes to light that they take a step back and improve on their concept instead of taking away from it.…Expand

Plants vs Zombies was a true masterpiece and one of the best half-indie games (at least during earlier days) I have ever played a few years ago. Now EA comes with this. This game is a stinky free-to-play experiencie without any sense of achievement or genuine fun like the original. Among lots of frustration you may find some cool ideas for new plants, but the most part of them are uselessPlants vs Zombies was a true masterpiece and one of the best half-indie games (at least during earlier days) I have ever played a few years ago. Now EA comes with this. This game is a stinky free-to-play experiencie without any sense of achievement or genuine fun like the original. Among lots of frustration you may find some cool ideas for new plants, but the most part of them are useless when you reach harder levels. You'll need, at some point, a couple keys and stars in order to keep advancing. That's where MONEY talks louder than strategy. It's hard to find a replay level where a certain challenge doesn't force you to burn your hard-earned coins to activate power-ups. They're, in fact, extremely powerful and may destroy an entire wave of zombies in a few seconds, but they're also extremely expensive and you won't find many chances of getting them for free (inside bonus levels). Some of the classic plants are back, but the powerful ones are... guess what? Yeah, they're premium. A cool game that once had every single element obtainable through unlocking now have premium items. That's EA at their best.

That being said about gameplay, PvZ 2 also failed in soundtrack. I remember the gorgeous tunes we had in the first game. They were absolutely relaxing and fun to listen. There were various themes for daily levels, Zen garden, night levels, bonus levels, boss battles... they all had some kind of personality that made the soundtrack such an unique work. The sequel tried hard to follow these steps without a glance of success. After playing the Egypt levels twice, my ears begged me to turn down the volume and play on mute. Even the remixed parts taken from classic themes are annoying and bring no nostalgia at all. I think we could live without a sequel. We all saw this coming when EA purchased the franchise, but we refused to accept the facts: Plants vs Zombies was about to be destroyed and turned into a souless pay-to-win experience.

Stay away from this game. It doesn't worth your time neither your money.…Expand

A game weighed down not by any greed or glitches, just living in the shadow of its predecessor.

I actually played this game before PvZ 1, and only got 1 after I beat the sequel. While PvZ 2 was a nice waste of time, the original was a FANTASTIC waste of time, and I could scarcely believe PvZ 1 wasn't the sequel. Besides the sleek, improved graphics of PvZ 2, and interactive world maps,A game weighed down not by any greed or glitches, just living in the shadow of its predecessor.

I actually played this game before PvZ 1, and only got 1 after I beat the sequel. While PvZ 2 was a nice waste of time, the original was a FANTASTIC waste of time, and I could scarcely believe PvZ 1 wasn't the sequel. Besides the sleek, improved graphics of PvZ 2, and interactive world maps, PvZ 1 was longer, had more plants, had more mini games, had an awesome zen garden, and even had more in app purchases than its sequel.

The original also had something else lacking in the 2nd, an engaging and dynamic experience. It was a story while PvZ 2 is a grind- a fun grind, but a chore nonetheless. There's still a lot to like here, while the decapitating and electrifying "power ups" are ridiculously cheap, the plant food and its effects feels organic and adds additional depth to the game- however the new variety of worlds gets rid of as much as it adds, and while I would have expected it to be the opposite, I find myself replaying the original- tending zen gardens, and playing mini games- far more than I return to the forcibly replayable levels of the sequel.

I would have given this game a 5 or 6 before playing the original, and perhaps it is unfair to judge a game more harshly based on prior success, but I've always believed that a sequal should ADD more features to a game, not just simplify or remove- this game has great potential, and I hope to see added depth in the future, but it lacks the strategy, polish, and plethora of features the original had, and I can say without any sentimental attachment to PvZ 1 that it was simply a better game.

I couldn't care less about the in app purchases, though I sympathize with those that feel they are too expensive, but the game itself, with or without all the plants that must be purchased, feels somehow empty now that I've played the 1st, and while I sincerely hope this game is improved with more worlds, mini games, and far more plants- I'm content playing PvZ 1 for fun, and PvZ 2 for what, for all its fancy graphics and brief flashes of innovation, still feels like "Plants vs. Zombies Lite"…Expand

This game isn't bad, its just, the first one beats it in several ways. There's the better story with the evil doctor, there is a cool boss fight at the end. The night and day, along with the pool areas differences as well as the roof transitions from PART 1 seemed to have a more meaningful and emotional impact than the transitioning between different time periods in PART 2. Something isThis game isn't bad, its just, the first one beats it in several ways. There's the better story with the evil doctor, there is a cool boss fight at the end. The night and day, along with the pool areas differences as well as the roof transitions from PART 1 seemed to have a more meaningful and emotional impact than the transitioning between different time periods in PART 2. Something is lost from part 1 and I can't put my finger on it, but PART 2 is LESS fun, yet still fun because it retains the core element of the game. They should have done more "Yeti" type characters, but that was a tiny improvement in the game. The way they asked you to spend money in the first game made me want to but things more. I beat the game without spending any money, and it wasn't as fun. Cmon EA, find the original creator and put him back to work...you guys can do better than this.…Expand

Take one of the most original games in recent years, add corporate greed... and you get this. Yes, you can play the game without paying for it but you cannot turn your head without another request for cash. The game just feels different than the original, the fun is missing.

This sequel does not live up to expectation. I expected the sequel of a best selling app to be better than this crap but no, we got this. Full of micro-transactions and my least favorite character, Crazy Dave, this game is horrible.

I think the new plants, zombies and worlds where great. But after you complete the first world and finish the first few worlds of the pirate one you begin to think that the game is a kind of game where you need to purchase stuff to win the game, that's what ruined it for me

Score is low not because of a "delay" but because the game is plagued with microtransactions. At some point all players will find themselves wondering "is it worth the space on my phone" and delete. The original game was fun, but this one...I played for a while, but it just wasn't FUN. That's the point of the game, right? I guess not in this version, because the point is for the playerScore is low not because of a "delay" but because the game is plagued with microtransactions. At some point all players will find themselves wondering "is it worth the space on my phone" and delete. The original game was fun, but this one...I played for a while, but it just wasn't FUN. That's the point of the game, right? I guess not in this version, because the point is for the player to generate In App Purchases.

Could've been really good, but instead is just frustrating and irritating. If there was a version that cost X amount up front with no IAP? Much better. Instead, you're better off playing something else.…Expand

Deja vu. Plants vs Zombies was an outstanding game but the EA buy-out of Popcap guaranteed the sequel was going to blow. Sure enough, what we're given is a painfully mediocre sequel buried in-app purchases and DRM. A supposedly "free" game which costs over $20 just to access all the plants.

Well, here we are. Plants vs Zombies 2. It's been an agonizing wait, but it's finally here! And our wait of 5+ years has been a disappointing, soulless trek of a game with micro-transactions like Tokyo has neon lights.
I don't even know if we can call this Plants vs Zombies 2; Plants vs Zombies 1.5 seems like a more fitting title. All the charm and colour of the first game has been suckedWell, here we are. Plants vs Zombies 2. It's been an agonizing wait, but it's finally here! And our wait of 5+ years has been a disappointing, soulless trek of a game with micro-transactions like Tokyo has neon lights.
I don't even know if we can call this Plants vs Zombies 2; Plants vs Zombies 1.5 seems like a more fitting title. All the charm and colour of the first game has been sucked out and replaced with a cold, watery substance. It's still fun, but the first game was fun too. Why do I say that? Because this game feels more like a Ctrl C/Ctrl V project than a whole new game. There are some new powerups and plants, and there's a few new settings too but they do little to change the formula.
Popcap and EA have been going around saying they've done things to 'give the plants some more personality,' but they seem to have failed miserably. It's not bad, per se, it just feels lifeless and cold. I can only recommend this to hardcore PvZ fans, and even then that's stretching it.…Expand

This games ok but they had to ruin it with one thing that makes this game not so fun to play. FREEMIUM You have to buy different plants to make it through hard levels. Now I know most of you can beat this without paying a dime but what about the rest? EA why did you have to ruin another franchise why?? I hope in the next installment (if there is another one) They just make it where youThis games ok but they had to ruin it with one thing that makes this game not so fun to play. FREEMIUM You have to buy different plants to make it through hard levels. Now I know most of you can beat this without paying a dime but what about the rest? EA why did you have to ruin another franchise why?? I hope in the next installment (if there is another one) They just make it where you buy the game and that's it you play.…Expand

The game crashes every time you start it. Re-install doesn't fix it. Releasing a game that doesn't even work is really poor form EA. I did manage to get in once and play for about 2 minutes before it crashed again.

I'll cut to the chase. It heavily relies on In-App Purchases, often seeming to shove it in your face. It doesn't really experiment with different plants to encourage different strategies and game-play styles, but rather gives more of the same, as if they thought that just giving a best-selling game a makeover was enough to satisfy customers. Even the plants are pretty much the same, justI'll cut to the chase. It heavily relies on In-App Purchases, often seeming to shove it in your face. It doesn't really experiment with different plants to encourage different strategies and game-play styles, but rather gives more of the same, as if they thought that just giving a best-selling game a makeover was enough to satisfy customers. Even the plants are pretty much the same, just with different looks. There are a short amounts of levels, but the game tries to drag it out with replaying old missions with extra special requirements, which I would have been fine with if they weren't boring, repetitive, and just generally not challenging. You'll tire of this very quickly.

Somehow, it managed to lose the spark that won consumers over the first time. This probably because EA saw this franchise as a money-grabbing opportunity, rather than a platform as to which more innovative ideas could develop. It almost seems desperate as to how it tries to revive the magic of the first game with different looks, but when you play this, the game altogether seems a bit empty. It's as if the game is just a skin that merely looks like what it used to be. And when you take a look at its predecessor which was jam-packed with content and many mini-games which challenges players to come up with different strategies and tactics, often to great difficulty (Bobsled Bonanza, anyone?), this pales in comparison and it definitely not worth your time.…Expand

Over the years, I managed to beat the original PvZ on my PC, then Mac, then iPad. So, clearly I liked the game. It was a fun and addictive game.

The problem with PvZ 2 is it's just not that fun. The grinding nature of the gameplay takes me back to the mid-90s RPGs where you would just fight battle after battle to advance (bear with me on this analogy). It was pretty fun for me, I was 7Over the years, I managed to beat the original PvZ on my PC, then Mac, then iPad. So, clearly I liked the game. It was a fun and addictive game.

The problem with PvZ 2 is it's just not that fun. The grinding nature of the gameplay takes me back to the mid-90s RPGs where you would just fight battle after battle to advance (bear with me on this analogy). It was pretty fun for me, I was 7 and I knew that's what I was getting into with the RPGs and at least it served a purpose to level up my guys and give me new attacks. The grinding in PvZ 2 is annoying because it serves no purpose other than to frustrate you and make you spend money to advance.

Not letting you advance because you don't have enough stars really does hamper the fun. Games are supposed to be fun! Not frustrating exercises in repetition as this game is.

And for those people that say they have had a blast grinding through level after level...I gotta say..it seems to me that you haven't played a lot of really fun games before. And if you're a casual gamer of the post-Wii generation...I'm sorry to say but you really don't know how to enjoy a game properly because chances are you've just been conditioned to play freemium games and think "all games are like this, hence it's fun". They're not all like that and freemium games are rarely fun and they're often little more than tedious cash grabs.…Expand

After being such a huge fan of the first game, and seeing this one was free, it was a day one purchase for me. And after playing for a couple of hours, I could already see why this game is free. The biggest problem with this game is the the developers got greedy. To unlock most of the game, you need to either grind for keys, which takes hours just to get a few, or pay money for them. YouAfter being such a huge fan of the first game, and seeing this one was free, it was a day one purchase for me. And after playing for a couple of hours, I could already see why this game is free. The biggest problem with this game is the the developers got greedy. To unlock most of the game, you need to either grind for keys, which takes hours just to get a few, or pay money for them. You also pay money for coins, power ups, and getting the full game experience. So unless you want to play the same levels over and over again, you have to pay real money. And also, you have to play the same levels over again, just due to the fact you need stars. The challenges, whilst fun, are repetitive and can get boring. There's also not as much content as it might seem, the game just pads itself out for no reason. The game also doesn't have much creativity as the first, whilst the first all the mini games are unique, the challenges in this game are just the same challenges repeated with more difficulty. The game also really barley innovates. Most of the plants are just the old plants from the first, including the plants you have to pay for. The new plants are alright, welcome additions, but there is not enough new ones to make the game feel unique. The humor is also not as good as the first game, I only laughed once at this game, Dave's new partner is not funny and takes away from the charm of the original game.

The game does have good parts. The game is still fun, if barley changed. The music is great, very catchy just like the first, though most songs are just remix's. The graphics are great, though I prefer the original games art style, it just feels more stylish and cartoony. Also, through the whole game, I used plants from all over the game, whether as in the first game a lot of plants were situational and I rarely used half of the plants.

I recommend getting the game, but only because it is free. It is such a disappointment, but still worth it because of the 0 dollar price tag. Don't actually waste money on it though, it's really not worth it. Also, I would only just complete the main levels, the other levels take way to much grinding to get to. If you haven't played original, get it instead. Actually worth your time and money, unlike the sequel.…Expand

Yes, the gameplay is good, but the business model destroys all joy that could potentially be gained from this game. It's impossible to play it without feeling that you're being hounded for more money at every turn. This is not a game, it's a cash grab.

Oh popcap. You hang around with a bad crowd and you'll pick up thier mannerisms. EA is already corrupt and money grabbing. But not you popcap. How could you? There may not be any direct paywalls in PVZ 2. However purchase is required to get the full experience. Even plants you can earn in PvZ 1 are now only purchasable with real money. Micro transactions are fine when purely cosmetic IMOOh popcap. You hang around with a bad crowd and you'll pick up thier mannerisms. EA is already corrupt and money grabbing. But not you popcap. How could you? There may not be any direct paywalls in PVZ 2. However purchase is required to get the full experience. Even plants you can earn in PvZ 1 are now only purchasable with real money. Micro transactions are fine when purely cosmetic IMO but not when they mean that your ease of progress/ endgame potential is affected by the amount of cash you put in. That is better known as pay to win. I have to admit. I find myself rather biased purely based on the quality, immersion and success of PvZ 1. A one of payment of anywhere between £10-£15 would have been an easy sell to me. There is no PvZ 2.…Expand

I don't get why people hate this game. Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time is a solid iOS title and it will be coming to the Android and PC in the near future. The main reasons why this game is completely criticized is the IAP (In-App-Purchases) and the international delay (with the exception of New Zealand, Australia, and China), which are both completely stupid reason to hate on a gameI don't get why people hate this game. Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time is a solid iOS title and it will be coming to the Android and PC in the near future. The main reasons why this game is completely criticized is the IAP (In-App-Purchases) and the international delay (with the exception of New Zealand, Australia, and China), which are both completely stupid reason to hate on a game and give it low scores. Delays happen people and sometimes for the greater good of the game. As for the IAP, I've gotten all stars on Ancient Egypt and Pirate Seas without purchasing any coin packs and without constantly using the Premium Plants that I bought (I have the US version incase you were curious). Yet people still say that it is "Impossible to obtain stars". This just baffles me to think that people will let something as stupid as IAP ruin a game. It might be because our generation is impatience but I enjoyed replaying levels to obtain stars. In my opinion it worked well for Plants Vs. Zombies and for its the replay value. Anyway enough about "other people's opinion" let's talk about mine a little more. Plants Vs. Zombies 2 is just as good as the original in its gameplay despite missing features like the Zen Garden and the Mini-games which will probably be added in future updates. There are a couple of new plants that stand out including the Bonk Choy, the Bloomerang, the Chili Bean, Pea Pod, the Lightning Reed, and the Snapdragon. There are also new gameplay mechanics like Plant Food and Power Ups. Plant Food is fun and a perfect idea for a Plants Vs. Zombies sequel. Plant Food allows plants to use Overpowered Attacks on Zombies, it can be obtain by buying it with the coins you earn in-game or dropped by green-glowing zombies (which are in every level presiding the introduction of Plant Food). Power-Ups are not my favorite of the bunch, you can buy power-ups with coins earned in game. These Power-ups allow you to use super-overpowered touch attacks on Zombies which doesn't work as well as Plant Food does because it takes away the element of the Tower-Defense in the game. IAP are completely optional but some like the Snow Pea, Jalapeno, and Torchwood are hard to resist. I've bought so far the Snow Pea, The Jalapeno, The Torchwood, and the Power Lily and that is all I've bought so far (I plant on getting all the Premium Plants just to have them and use them). I will never buy any coin packs because it is not worth it. I don't necessarily like the whole free-to-play thing slapped on to Plants Vs. Zombies 2 but I will not let something optional and that stupid ruin a wonderful gaming franchise for me. If anything I thing they do well with the free-to-play thing. Trust me I've played worst free-to-play games than this.…Expand

As much as I want to like the sequel to one of my all-time favorite games, I just can't. The micro-transaction system saps the fun out of the game. You feel as if you're playing the video-game equivalent of a deli counter, where you must pay for each slice of cheese individually. All the sequel did was make me miss the original, which just felt more "honest." The result of theAs much as I want to like the sequel to one of my all-time favorite games, I just can't. The micro-transaction system saps the fun out of the game. You feel as if you're playing the video-game equivalent of a deli counter, where you must pay for each slice of cheese individually. All the sequel did was make me miss the original, which just felt more "honest." The result of the micro-transactions is a sense that, while the first game was the work of digital artists, this one is the work of digital accountants. Pass on this one.…Expand

Well, the game itself is pretty good. It's PvZ again, with some new plants and zombies, and the interesting plant food mechanic. Nothing wrong with that. Had they just charged $5 for it, I'd have paid it, played happily, and this score would be an 8 or 9.

Instead we get this weird "free" model where some plants are locked behind absurdly expensive fees. Getting enough keys to openWell, the game itself is pretty good. It's PvZ again, with some new plants and zombies, and the interesting plant food mechanic. Nothing wrong with that. Had they just charged $5 for it, I'd have paid it, played happily, and this score would be an 8 or 9.

Instead we get this weird "free" model where some plants are locked behind absurdly expensive fees. Getting enough keys to open everything up feels kind of grindy at times. But the worst thing is the coins.

The coins are now used to buy power ups instead of unlocking things. The weakest power up is an extra plant food, which is pretty strong to get out of a jam or get a head start with a surge of sun. The other three are completely broken and amount to I Win buttons. So long as you use them sparingly (or not at all), you'll have plenty of coins and never have to spend a dime.

If you start relying on them... well they totally break the game. You can pay to win in the most literal way there is. It's clear that they were added so that they could sell coins to players without the patience to learn how to play the game well enough to beat all the levels. and it weakens the entire game.

My advice? Forget the three power buttons exist, and try to use the extra plant food one as rarely as you can. You'll have a lot of fun with the game if you do that. If you use those buttons frequently, there is no real challenge except paying the bill.…Expand

Newsflash to everyone hating the free to play model, you don't need to pay a DIME to enjoy or finish this game. Seriously, the only reason you need to pay anything is if you want shortcut. Yes the premium plants do cost money but you don't need them, there are plenty of good plants in the game for free. You also don't need to pay for coins, the game is pretty generous in the amount ofNewsflash to everyone hating the free to play model, you don't need to pay a DIME to enjoy or finish this game. Seriously, the only reason you need to pay anything is if you want shortcut. Yes the premium plants do cost money but you don't need them, there are plenty of good plants in the game for free. You also don't need to pay for coins, the game is pretty generous in the amount of coins it hands out to you. This is a free to play model that actually works. Now that we got that out of the way on to the game.

Plants vs. Zombies 1 was a fantastic game, one of the best "Tower Defense- esque" games ever made in my opinion. This one is not quite up to par with the first one though.

The Maps: The first had 3 different maps that invoked 3 more involved strategies. When you include the night cycle (which is missing from this one) it offered many different styles of gameplay. This one does have 3 different maps but I found the strategies to be pretty similar on all levels except for needing to use one or two different plants. The star challenges do offer a bit of variety on each map but it gets predictable. Overall the designs are good but I found myself wanting more of a variety in levels.

Zombies: It is a solid collection of bad guys to fend off but I found myself missing quite a few zombies from the first one. It was odd that they did not include a couple of types like the gargantuar or zombie bob sled team.

Plants: Not as much of a variety but that is understandable since there are no swimming/flying zombies and there is no night cycle. A couple of stand outs are the Lightning Reed and Snap Dragon, the Snap Dragon is very powerful for the cost.

Powerups: A nice addition to the game though this obviously aims at making money. While you don't really need to use the special attacks or purchase plant food that often they do make many maps much easier and you get plenty enough coins to not need to use real money. You are forced to use the special attacks to get some of the stars( in specific the ones that force you to not spend anything for 60+ seconds) as it is impossible to not lose lawnmowers in those levels which is annoying.

Overall it is a fun game and the free to play models does not bother me, I did not pay anything and beat the game. It is not as good as the first but unique in its own way, I highly recommend this to any fans of plants vs. zombies 1.…Expand

After destroying Westwood studio (C&C) and crapping all over Maxis (SimCity) our beloved EA is finally laying its hand on PopCap and turning their 100% awesome game into a 100% money sucking game with a tiny tiny change to the game itself. Thank you EA, thank you very much!

A good game that's ruined by some decisions revolving around micro transactions. First off, if you have an old device without a front facing camera, you can't play the game. Unless you have an iOS device, you can't play the game. The game is what you expect though with improved graphics and improved animations and it's free! As I played through the "Egyptian Campaing" I got a sense of theA good game that's ruined by some decisions revolving around micro transactions. First off, if you have an old device without a front facing camera, you can't play the game. Unless you have an iOS device, you can't play the game. The game is what you expect though with improved graphics and improved animations and it's free! As I played through the "Egyptian Campaing" I got a sense of the the gameplay. You collect keys which allow you to open gates to side-quests allowing you to unlock other plants, special power-ups, and so on.There are 3 campaigns but, upon beating the final level of Egypt, I was blocked from moving forward. Now the grinding begins. You have to beat each level by meeting certain parameters set, ie don’t let the zombies trample the flowers, only use x plants, don’t lose any more than y plants, don’t spend more than z sun, etc. That's good and all but (yes another but) EA has decided to help us out, only if you are willing to pay for “microtransactions” that aren’t so micro. Want to have an extra seed slot, $3.99. Want the Jalapeno, Snow Pea, Imitator and Torchwood.....$14. As one reviewer said, "At every turn there is an attempt to nickel and dime you out of some money in order to play the game". And speaking of keys and levels in the campaigns, half of them are behind locked doors, along with some plants and powerups, and if you want to collect keys to open them, you have to play and replay the levels to randomly find keys, or pay some money for them. The funny thing about all this is that EA has done this to other games and done it right. Take the Sims for example. You get the WHOLE game initially and then you can pay for additional content that UPGRADES the experience. Even the Simpsons Tapped Out, another EA game, is much more reasonable than this. Or they could take a cue from Angry Birds, another game that does this so much better. I think (now on my soapbox) we can all agree that EA does deserve to make money from this game but why not make it available on all devices and why not charge a reasonable price for the whole game like the original (I paid $9.99 to get it on my computer, $2.99 to get the HD Version on my iPad and $1.99 to get it on my iPhone). That's $15 from just me for the first one. To clarify this rant, the gameplay is fun, the graphics and animations ARE an improvement and enjoyable as they add to the experience and gameplay. The gaming experience though is tarnished as they have modeled the gameplay around pushing the microstransactions as you don't get to experience the WHOLE game unless you plan to drop approximately $20 $25.…Expand

This game is way and I mean way better then the first one. And the first one cost money! This app has amazing cinematography and a new look and feel to it that makes you not able to turn off the game.
Because its free, it is a must get for anyone!

I'd love to give this game something higher than a 0/10, however, they delayed the game, threw in microtransactions, and while they didn't really change the formula much from the first game, they released it as an iOS exclusive, slapping Android PC gamers in the face, AND to top it off, made it require a front-facing camera, so that even those of us who have old iPhones and have moved onI'd love to give this game something higher than a 0/10, however, they delayed the game, threw in microtransactions, and while they didn't really change the formula much from the first game, they released it as an iOS exclusive, slapping Android PC gamers in the face, AND to top it off, made it require a front-facing camera, so that even those of us who have old iPhones and have moved on to Android's greener pastures, can't play it on older devices.

The 0 out of 10 is because it is unplayable on my device. It is because it is an iOS exclusive and unavailable on Android. It is because of microtransactions. I have played this game on a friend's device, and the gameplay is nearly exactly the same as the first game, with very few new twists (basically, a few small maps to navigate, and a few new plants.)

Free is about the right price for this. I was so hyped before this hit the US shores, but now that it has, and I've experienced it firsthand, New Zealand can take it back.…Expand

The game plays like it has no soul. It teaches you to learn how to use power-ups several boards in then a little after that slaps you with the Store where it shows you all the items you can buy. Why even present the game as f2p if you're going to shove the store at users so early? Loved the first game and felt compelled to finish it several times. It remains a no-brainer pick-up-and-playThe game plays like it has no soul. It teaches you to learn how to use power-ups several boards in then a little after that slaps you with the Store where it shows you all the items you can buy. Why even present the game as f2p if you're going to shove the store at users so early? Loved the first game and felt compelled to finish it several times. It remains a no-brainer pick-up-and-play game even now. This sequel feels stiff, flat and completely unlike the first one... which in this case isn't a good thing. After waiting for the release for so long in North America I can't help but be disappointed. It's already uninstalled from my iPad. Not sure what I was hoping or expecting, if anything, but it sure wasn't this.…Expand

The game is has a lot of the original game's features in it but does have some plants that are not included unless paid for, some as much as $4. Despite the fact that there are pay-to-win features in it, it is still a very enjoyable game and most things can be done without the help of real life or in-game currency. Hearty recommendation even though it is a free-mium game.

The game is similar to the previous PvZ but a greatly expanded world. It had become far more grindy to play though. This was likely added to incentivize the in-app purchases. Players are stuck grinding the same levels with additional challenges to gain access to new levels.

I can't even begin to explain how disappointed I was when I went to the iOS app store to purchase this game and found out it was free. I knew in my stomach, that meant what I feared EA would do the most to this game: in-app purchases.

Just buying base plants that you already have in the first Plants Vs. Zombies are going to cost you some money out of pocket. I did the math, and it'sI can't even begin to explain how disappointed I was when I went to the iOS app store to purchase this game and found out it was free. I knew in my stomach, that meant what I feared EA would do the most to this game: in-app purchases.

Just buying base plants that you already have in the first Plants Vs. Zombies are going to cost you some money out of pocket. I did the math, and it's roughly around twenty bucks right now just to buy about six plants. All of that isn't even including the other things they're trying to get you to waste your money on.

Needless to say, I played it for about half an hour until I realized that it wasn't anything special and gave up on it. It's already uninstalled from my device, and I will not ever play it again.

Just like any other plants vs zombies game it is too lame to be good.But I have to say this I had fun playing this game but If you look on the other side you will notice that it is a waste of time playing this.

After about a 5 days in, this is my second review, one that comes with a broader understanding as to how a free to play game can actually be done properly and fairly to any given player. I originally gave it a 6 because I thought that paying for a plant/upgrade/level was greedy. In hindsight, it's quite the opposite. Yes, it will be far more challenging and difficult to go about thisAfter about a 5 days in, this is my second review, one that comes with a broader understanding as to how a free to play game can actually be done properly and fairly to any given player. I originally gave it a 6 because I thought that paying for a plant/upgrade/level was greedy. In hindsight, it's quite the opposite. Yes, it will be far more challenging and difficult to go about this without paying for anything.. But it's very possible and actually added a new twist in that it challenged me to play without 'cheating' and going the lazy route.

First off, the game play is absolutely stellar, retina or not (I have a feeling an HD version will surface at a price sometime soon). The new concept makes it easily the best tower defense game out there with a familiar yet fresh take on the beloved first edition. The new plants and zombies made me laugh out loud and displayed how much effort went into this title. As much as I adore the first, this has already become my fav and it is beyond addictive (in a great way). On another note, because I'm a huge fan and want to support devs and creations like this, I have absolutely no problem paying for it. The beauty lies in the fact that they have given me a choice. Playing for free (with the ability to acquire everything) or pay at my own discretion. Again, brilliant and it exemplifies how to do a play for free title properly.

Pop cap, you have officially become my favorite developer and PVZ2 is now the best game I've yet to play on the iOS. P. S. If you don't want to wait for this gem, do what I did and simply change your location in settings to Australia or New Zealand. This Canadian has been enjoying the down under version early thanks to YouTube! If you liked the first one, don't hesitate to grab this beautiful addition. If you're new, then you're in for one of the most fun games you'll ever play on your phone or ipad. Sorry android, like all of the best titles, you're going to have to wait.…Expand

The game itself is a lot of fun. If you liked the first you will indefinitely like this one. The reason it should get the 6/10 score is the way that it conducts its business plan. With micro transactions. Even the ability of saying. Games too hard! I wanna finish and paying 30 dollars for the end. Sure. People will buy it. Sure its F2P but buying a single plant for 3 dollars is unheard of.The game itself is a lot of fun. If you liked the first you will indefinitely like this one. The reason it should get the 6/10 score is the way that it conducts its business plan. With micro transactions. Even the ability of saying. Games too hard! I wanna finish and paying 30 dollars for the end. Sure. People will buy it. Sure its F2P but buying a single plant for 3 dollars is unheard of. The first game had a plant garden and a stellar idea to it. This game definitely has the art-style that looks cutesy and a lot of frames then the original. If they would have kept the same business plan I would have rated it 9/10 for being a good game in general. Like the first but with a bunch more new plants. But you have to buy the plants from PVZ 1. Like the Snow Pea, Squash and Torch wood. Shame on you EA. Shame. It has a lot of new stuff including powers. But this is shameful.…Expand

I have been playing the same since it was released on Australia a couple of weeks ago already, and sad to say it feels a bit flat and repetitive, the first one i just could not stop playing it, but this one start annoying you rubbing your face that you will have to pay for all the plants, then it comes repetitiveness once you complete the original course of any level, seeking for stupidI have been playing the same since it was released on Australia a couple of weeks ago already, and sad to say it feels a bit flat and repetitive, the first one i just could not stop playing it, but this one start annoying you rubbing your face that you will have to pay for all the plants, then it comes repetitiveness once you complete the original course of any level, seeking for stupid keys and stars to try to get more plants or pass to the next level.

I have no problem collecting stuff to progress in the game, but how it happens on PvZ2 is just boring, the same level with minor modification rules that dosent make the game more fun, just more annoying.

The finish touch is the lack of all the extra fun stuff on the original game, starting from the fun mini games and extra challenges that were FUN to play, hooo the old days, i really give it a go before posting the review, but i just cant play it anymore.…Expand

Wow, this hate is overwhelmingly unreasonable. The majority of haters probably didn't even play it yet. Something that's delayed does not have anything to do with the quality. A great, fun, and casual but packed-with-content game as good as the first installment in the series, if not better.

The only reason the user reviews are so low is because PvZ 2 was delayed in the USA so that they would not have any server issues like Sim City had. I am sure that when it comes out in just a few days it will be fantastic. If you are in Australia or New Zealand, you are enjoying it right now. Love the original game!

After destroying Westwood studio (C&C) and crapping all over Maxis (SimCity) our beloved EA is finally laying its hand on PopCap and turning their 100% awesome game into a 100% money sucking game with a tiny tiny change to the game itself. Thank you EA, thank you very much!

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time just works well in every way. The game makes good use of the Free to Play-model, with which you'll only pay for something to make it a bit easier for yourself. The game is just as enjoyable without spending a dime though.